


When An Apple Falls From A Peach Tree

by UlisaBarbic



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: F/M, Family, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, Good Parent Chi Chi, Good Parent Son Goku (Dragon Ball), Love, Married Couple, Married Life, Meddling Kids, Remarriage, post buu saga, son family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:08:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27847442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UlisaBarbic/pseuds/UlisaBarbic
Summary: Adjusting to life after seven years dead comes with some difficulty, the Son Family is finding. But what better way to solidify what they have again than for Goku and Chi Chi to marry again?A pair of enthusiastic sons can’t wait to be a part of it!
Relationships: Chi-Chi/Son Goku (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 47





	1. Prologue

The atmosphere of the room was suffocating. Goten was normally one that thrived in open spaces and the overwhelming sense of being crushed was tearing his nerves apart. He clung tight to his leg to keep from jostling it back and forth. He’d seen what Big Brother could do with just tapping his foot and while he was not as strong, he suspected that a similar reaction might happen. 

He didn’t want to be in any more trouble than he was.

The office of the principal was never a place Goten thought he’d end up. Sure, he’d seen it a few times but never intimately. The chairs were pretty big; he could swing both his legs back and forth and aside from the clickety clack of the secretary’s keyboard, it was quiet. It was unnerving especially to Goten who made a habit of always moving about and making noise.

He had enough sense to be silent right now though. He’d never been in real trouble at school before but he knew that they usually called your parents. But if Mom was here, he didn’t hear her. Granted, she’d been known to get quiet-angry sometimes but then she was REALLY scary—

“Goten, let’s go.”

The voice was neither Mom nor Dad but certainly sounded annoyed. But Goten didn’t care because at least now he had a fighting chance!

Although he’d never seen Big Brother’s face that color before!

Jumping to his feet, grabbing his backpack by his feet, Goten rushed his brother and hugged his leg tight. “Gohan! Didn’t know they called YOU!”

“Couldn’t get ahold of Mom, lucky for you.” Gohan shook his head, “But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. You’re gonna hafta tell her why you can’t go back to school until next week.”

Wincing, Goten looked up at him with a look akin to a plea. “You’ll help me tell her and Dad, right, Big Brother?”

“Why would I do that?” Gohan had a cold tone but couldn’t hide the softness. His little brother always managed to have that effect on people and Gohan was hardly amused at the fact he was not immune to it. “I mean, you know what went through my head when I get called out of class because ‘it’s about your brother and they can’t reach your parents?’ I mean, what was I supposed to think?”

Giving a low bow, Goten said “I’m sorry, Big Brother. I didn’t mean to get in trouble.” He rose to the air as soon as Gohan did after they made their way outside. “It just...kinda happened?”

“Kinda happened? Goten, you knocked a boy across the school yard!”

“Not hard!” He protested, scowling. “And I didn’t knock him ALL the way across the school yard.” At his brother’s look, Goten tapped his fingertips together. “Just...partway.”

Gohan rolled his eyes. “That makes it better?”

“I didn’t even really hit him, Gohan!” Goten was full of fire. “I mean, I wanted to but I stopped myself before my fist hit ‘em. But...he flew back anyway.” Goten rubbed the back of his head, “Dunno what I did.”

“Your energy.” Gohan answered simply. “It’s how Dad beat Mom at the Martial Arts Tournament when they got engaged.”

“Really?! So I did something like Daddy then! And I betcha he didn’t hurt Mom.”

Raising a brow and looking remarkably like his mother, Gohan retorted. “Mom was also a trained martial artist. I doubt this kid was.”

Finding his arms with a pout, Goten snapped, “He deserved it, I tol’ him to knock it off and he didn’t listen. I tried walk-in’ away and he just followed me. So I finally tol’ him if he didn’t stop, I’d make ‘em stop!” He paused. “So I did!”

Gohan shifted, turned so he was on his back. Goten immediately plopped down on his brother’s stomach. When he was very young, he’d made a habit of climbing on Gohan’s back or stomach when the older boy would swim or fly and the habit had stuck for times when they spoke candidly with one another.

“What exactly happened, Goten?” There was no accusation in that voice, none of that anger. Just a plea for open and honest communication. “I shoulda asked you that first, actually.”

Face still downtrodden, Goten’s eyes warmed somewhat at the apology. “It’s this mean boy Hideo.”

“That’s an ironic name to have then...he picked on you before?”

Shrugging, Goten said, “Not really. He’s just in love with himself like Uncle Vegeta.”

Gohan bit down a laugh. “So what was different today? You’re pretty good at ignoring people like that.”

Ooo, there came that anger again. “I tol’ the teacher a little bit ago that Daddy was home again. I tol’ her what you and Mom said to, that he’d been lost and was in the military and they’d finally found him.” It had been the best excuse they could fathom for the missing seven years. Luckily, most people took their word for it. “Well, Hideo tol’ me that Mom was stupid to take Daddy because ‘cause he ‘probably cheated on her.’”

Okay, blood boiling in the veins now.

“I tol’ him he didn’t know Daddy or Mom or wouldn’t have said that. Then he tol’ me Mom was an idiot for waitin’ that long. Said she musta been “real haggy”.”

Gohan took a breath to calm his nerves. “Is that when you tried to walk away?”

Nodding, Goten said “And he followed me, sayin’ I was upset ‘cause I knew he was right. So...I air-punched him and he...well, went a long ways. I didn’t break nothin’ on him though but teacher said ‘cause I threw the punch that _I_ was in trouble. That’s not fair.”

“No, it’s not.” Gohan considered. How exactly could he be mad about that? He couldn’t exactly say that he would have been able to hold his temper. One thing to insult him. You could do that all day. But bring his family into it and there was a problem.

And the very idea that his parents had anything but love and loyalty for one another made him see red. Granted, he knew some people were just mean by nature but still, it was one of the few things that truly could rile him up. He felt a surge of pride for his little brother swell up in his chest.

“Well, I bet he won’t bug you anymore,” Gohan ruffled his brother’s hair. “If he does, you tell me and maybe we’ll needa have a talk with him.”

Goten giggled a bit at that. That kind of tone never meant a talk and much as his brother was very much devoted to staying out of trouble, the younger boy knew all too well his sibling was more than capable of being...creative in making a point. Not many people knew that side of Gohan but Goten was all too familiar with it. It might be worth the trouble if only to see Hideo’s face.

That still left the current predicament though.

“So...will you help me talk to Mom and Daddy ‘bout not gettin’ to go back to school until Monday?”

Gohan gently lifted his brother up and the boy started flying on his own. “Do my best. I can’t make any promises though.” That said, he suddenly dropped down to the earth below and Goten followed. It was a familiar place, a small meadow they used to play in all the time.

“But,” Gohan said with authority as he pulled a few daisies and lilies from the ground. “Flowers never hurt.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Mom? Dad?”

Closing the door behind him, Gohan called into the house as he left his shoes at the door. Goten followed suit before immediately clinging to his brother’s leg again. It wasn’t...fear per say. It was a little more complicated than that. As much as neither Son boy liked punishments, it was always the disappointment that cut the deepest. 

Goten found he dreaded his father’s disapproval more than his mother’s, mainly because, well, his father had only been back in his life such a short period of time. He knew how to handle his mother if she felt let down but the Son Patriarch was still a very new figure in his life. Much as Gohan had told him, he still didn’t really know the man as well as he knew his brother or mother—

“In the kitchen, boys!”

Gohan gently took his brother’s hand and led the way into the lighted room. There was a cheeriness to the room that always seemed omnipresent. Maybe it was due to all the family dinners they had in here but there was a welcoming presence nearly imbedded in the atmosphere. No matter what the circumstances, that room always felt homey and despite the weight of the situation Goten carried, Gohan saw him visibly relax as soon as that familiar smell whiffed by.

Mom always had snacks for after school and today was no exception. To anyone else, it would have looked like an average sized meal but it was little more than a few bites to tide over some ravenous half-saiyans until dinner. Given both had growing to do(though Gohan less so), the more food the better!

Goten had the taiyaki nearly completely in his mouth before he noticed his father in the corner, doing thumb push ups, with his legs parallel to the wall. Gohan did that sometimes too but Goten hadn’t seen his father do so before. With the fish tail sticking out of his mouth, Goten asked “Daddy?”

Without losing his momentum, Goku responded. “Hey, little buddy! Hey, Gohan!”

ChiChi walked over, depositing two glasses of milk on the table that both boys took without complaint or hesitation. There was only one thing that tasted better than fresh milk and that was hot tea. But they would have to wait for dinner for that.

“How was school?” ChiChi asked as she turned back to the sink.

Goten froze.

Gohan took a breath. “It was fine, Mom. Videl says hello.”

“When ya gonna invite her over again?” Goku’s tease was apparent. “We know you want to!”

Face red, Gohan remarked “Dad! We’re just...”

“I know, I know, ‘just friends.” Flipping himself right side up, Goku stretched. “Just like me and your mom are ‘’just friends.’” At his son’s red face, he smiled and clapped the teen’s shoulder, sneaking a bite of the pastry cakes himself. “Just sayin’ ya should. Your mom won’t stop pesterin’ me ‘bout you two!”

Whirling about, hands fisted and on her hips, ChiChi retorted. “I do NOT pester. I just...encourage.”

“Is that what ya call it?” Goku gave her a grin but then proceeded to drop the topic and ChiChi heaved a sigh at both her boys.

“Your father lives to try my patience, I swear. Now, what about you, Goten? How was school?”

“Uh....” he tapped his fingertips together. “Nothin’ too big...”

Raising a brow, ChiChi leaned against the counter, folding her arms in the position of authority only a mother possessed. “Nothin’ good ever follows a boy saying “nothin’ big.”

Given the fact that now it was apparent something DID happen, Goku turned to his youngest, resting against the table as he sat and took a drink of water. “What happened, squirt?”

“I...school says I can’t come back ‘til next week.” Blurting it out as quickly as he could, the boy handed over the note he was sent home with and Gohan rested his palms on his brother’s shoulders. 

ChiChi took the note silently, skimmed it then looked at him, eyes almost aflame. “Suspended?! For...fighting?” Looking over the writing again, she chomped down her immediate espouse on how this might affect school prospects and focused instead on the absurdity of such a notion. 

Because it made no sense!

Her boys were good boys and as much as she felt the Martian arts could be a wee bit much, both boys had far too much respect for it to abuse the art. As angry as they got, losing themselves in the weapon of war they could become was not acceptable. It was an unspoken rule Goku had pounded into Gohan and she and Gohan had pounded into Goten. So, her son? Fighting?

She didn’t believe it.

She wouldn’t believe it.

Goku stood, leaned over her shoulder, reading to himself, slowly moving his lips a moment then saying, “Eh?! That ain’t my Goten.” Scotching his head in bewilderment, he eyed his wife. “He knows better than that! I don’t believe none of this!”

Almost in unison, the two turned to their children. “What happened?”

Looking up at his brother, Goten drew strength from the nod and said, “This boy likes to pick in me. I keep tellin’ him to stop but he don’t. And he always waits ‘til Teacher is busy. He was makin’ fun of YOU today.” He pointed at his mother. “Said that Daddy cheated on you and that you were dumb to take him back and I told him to stop it!” 

Chest heaving a bit, Goten went on. “But I didn’t hit him or Nothin’. I wanted to but I didn’t. Just tol’ him to stop. And he always denied it if I tell on ‘em so I didn’t try that. So when he wouldn’t stop, I tried to just walk away. Figured he could tell his lies to himself.But he wouldn’t let me. He kept followin’ me so I tol’ him if he didn’t stop, I’d make ‘em stop!” Pouting, folding his arms, he relented. “I didn’t even really hit him..just the air. Not my fault he couldn’t take it.”

ChiChi blinked. On the one hand, she was flattered, as the fact that hearing lies about her got Goten so riled. Her boys, both of them, were quite defensive of her, of their father and of their honor. She was ALSO quite livid that this report of teasing had not been relayed to her sooner! Why, the schools had no place allowing that!

“Wait...”

ChiChi turned, hearing before either of her boys did the pinched tone of her husband’s voice. Oh, yes, his face matched. It was a look she’d grown to know from the pursed lips to the narrowed eyes. Goku always made a light ‘tic’ sound with his tongue against his teeth too. 

He was mad.

“You mean, you defended yourself ‘gainst this kid and...they’re punishing YOU for it?” The bafflement coated Goku’s every word. He had knelt to Goten’s level, looking him in the eye. There was nothing but seriousness in his face. A bit unnerving for Goten but he met the man’s eyes.

Nodding after taking a moment to think, Goten remarked, moving his feet back and forth “I guess...”

Shaking his head sharply, Goku said, “Uh Uh. My boys ain’t gonna be tol’ they can’t defend themselves.”

Standing up, Goku walked to the door, pulling on his boots. He didn’t bother to change clothes—still had on his work slacks tank top and after a slight pause, he grabbed his jacket off the wall hook.

Gohan asked, “Dad? Where are you going?”

“To Goten’s school.” He answered. “I know your mom usually handles that stuff but my kids ain’t gonna tol’ they can’t defend themselves. Ain’t happenin’!” He paused, smiled at Goten. “And I’m the Dad. They ain’t gettin’ away with letting my boy get picked on.”

After a mild pause, fire took ChiChi’s face. “Not without me, you ain’t!” Scowling, she stormed over, pulling her own shoes on. “And pickin’ on you ‘bout your parents? After EVERYTHING this year? No! Not gonna stand!”

Grasping her husband’s arm, he gave her a nod, addressed his oldest, “Watch your brother, this won’t take long” and in a surge of energy, the two parents vanished.

Blinking once then twice, Goten looked up at his brother. “Whatta you think, Big Brother?”

With what could only be described as an evil chuckle, Gohan remarked. “Wouldn’t wanna be your school right now.”


End file.
